You Can't Possibly Win
by Dibbzy
Summary: Post PP. One Shot. A few months after the disasteroid, and the stress of being Earth's Champion is starting to get to Danny. He just needs a little time to himself to straighten things out. First fanfic, honesty welcome.


Danny Phantom Fanfic

Danny Phantom closed his eyes, resting his head in his hands. The familiar rings slipped up and down his body locking his ghostly essence away deep inside him. Danny Fenton sighed tiredly, and glanced up. His room was quiet, but he could still hear beyond its closed door and window. People walking by in the street pointing up at his house. "That's where Danny Phantom lives!" they'd say. Photo's would flash constantly, and tour busses would pass them by every few hours. It was amassing how one decision could change your life.

It had seemed like the right decision at the time. Coming 'out' so to speak. Telling the world about who he was really. And for a while, it had made things so much easier. No more 'I have to go to the bathroom' excuses. No more 'I was errr.... doing stuff...' No more lying to his parents, no more hiding. In school he'd elevated to the most popular person ever.

He got the help he needed with his work. His teachers understood that he didn't always have time to finish his homework, and they'd help him where they could. His parents were brilliant, helping him through, even inventing things for him. In return he told them all he knew about ghosts, and they became more competent in helping him catch ghosts. Valerie too. They worked together to keep Amity safe.

But it soon became apparent; it wasn't just Amity any more. He'd saved the world. Tucker had put it correctly at his statue dedication ceremony. "_And each will stand for as long as we have our world, because thanks to Danny, we still have one_." He'd saved the world once. Why not do it again? And again? And again?

Disasters happened every day, so why wasn't he there to stop them? Unexplainable phenomenon that he should have been investigating, shouldn't he? He was an American citizen; shouldn't he be helping America stay great? But it wasn't just America he'd saved, so why should he help just them?

Fight's broke out between countries over who had the right to make Danny do what. What was it right to make him to do?

The so called peace that had reigned during the disasteroid evaporated. Sam had put it perfectly once. "The absence of war is not peace." And Danny had to admit she was right.

Country's set up there own 'ghost' programs. Trying to create a safe and repeatable way to create 'super soldiers' like Danny.

A super soldier... The Fenton boy lay back on his bed and glared at his ceiling. That's all he was. That's all they wanted him to be. A robot. Do this, yes sir, now do this, yes sir. And he just couldn't do it! He was a kid! He wanted to spend time with his girlfriend! He wanted to goof off! He wanted to pass school with some kind of mark that actually reflected the intelligence he'd put to use saving the world over and over and over...

Debates raged around the world about whether he was human at all. He was a ghost, why should he have human rights? Lock him up. He was a danger.

The phone had rung constantly till his parents had unplugged it, and changed the number, the news papers and channels asking for a quote, fans asking for an autograph, people asking for his help. And he just couldn't take it any more. He was too tired! He was too... angry... Why should he help a world when it couldn't help it's self? Why was it his fault that he couldn't be there, when there were people in the world who went out there way to make other people miserable? Stepping on heads to grasp at power, just like Vlad had done, holding the world to ransom. He could do it couldn't he? He was strong enough. And that scared them. He knew he wouldn't, but he could if he wanted to.

But people talked. Could he be trusted? Was he the same as Vlad? Would he one day turn on them, and if he did, could they stop him at all? It would serve them right if he did!

_Don't you get it? I'm still here. I still exist. That means you still turn in to me. _He shivered and turned on his side, huddling in to a ball. No one knew about that one. What would they think if they did? The memory's still haunted him.

_There's all types of prisons kid. I'm making sure your prison is the town where you live._ Nice try Walker, but he didn't really have to do anything. The world would make its own prison around him. Restricting what he could do. He was to strong not to be noticed any more. Too much of a danger.

_Having that much power. It's a burden, isn't it child?_ Pariah Dark's voice this time.

Is this what they felt? Is this what Vlad had felt and Dan, and Pariah Dark? When they realised exactly how strong they were? Why should he help other people, when they wouldn't even help him? When they wouldn't help themselves? Wouldn't they?

_What are you? A ghost trying to fit in with humans? Or a creepy little boy, with creepy little powers?_

_Both! Um... Neither! I don't know!_

He turned over to his other side, grabbing his pillow, pulling it in and burying his face in to it.

_Lady's and Gentlemen! Freaks of all ages. May I direct your attention to the centre ring where Danny Phantom, AKA Danny Fenton, will attempt to rescue his friends and family from a ghastly doom of my own construction!_

Danny closed his eyes tightly; the memory's raking the inside of his head. _Let go of me!_

_Why would I do that? Your doubts, your misery, it's delicious! And the best part is after that silly speech is over and the last domino falls and the sparklers vaporize the speaker, we'll leave you here to take the blame! And by the time I'm done with you, you'll be sure it was all your fault!_

Danny shook his head, the pillow moving with it. No! No, no, no, no, no!

_You can't possibly win._

No he couldn't. The world knew who he was. How could he fight against that? How could he stick up for his right to exist when nearly very one else seemed to be crying out for his execution!

_I am your judge; executioner; jury; executioner; jailer; and, if necessary, your executioner._

Danny turned over again, pressing his face in to the cushion.

_What makes you think you can change my past?_

It was inevitable wasn't it? One way or another? Had he saved the world so he could destroy it himself one day? No. That couldn't be right!

_I don't have to waste you. I just have to run out the clock till your entire life falls apart._

Was that it? A matter of time? He opened his eyes, and pushed himself up moving over and looking in the mirror. He could almost see HIM looking back at him. Those eyes burning in to him. Everything he would be...

No... He looked at his blue eyes. HE had red eyes. Cold, dead red eyes. It was everything he could be.

_You've given everyone else in your life a second chance. Why not you?_

He was right, wasn't he? He'd got that second chance. And he'd proved, he didn't have to be HIM.

_I promised my family!_

_Aha ha, ha, ha! Oh, you are such a child! You promised?_

His eyes glowed green. Hard and cold, but so very alive.

_Don't worry. I won't turn in to that. I promise._

The sounds from the street met his ears again. People talking. Traffic going past, camera's clicking.

"This is where Danny Phantom lives."

Danny Phantom. Danny Fenton. The boy looked at the mirror, like it would show him his future. Dan? Was that his future? Those green eyes that shone with the life of his death now, would they one day shine with the death of his life?

_I guess...the future isn't as set in stone as you think it is._

He pushed his way away from the desk. But what was the future?

_And each will stand for as long as we have our world._ Danny glanced out the window. _Because thanks to him, we still have one. _

_You can't possibly win child._

Danny moved over and looked down on to the street. Pictures flashed, people talked, cars went by, tourists posed for a defining moment in their holiday. As he stood there the familiar mist appeared from his mouth, and there was a crash in the distance, a scream. Actually, a whole lot of screaming. He could walk away from it, couldn't he? He didn't have to go to help. He could let them say 'Where was Phantom?!' 'It's his job to do this!' 'He's supposed to protect us!' 'Why wasn't he there?!' The rings appeared around his middle. Fenton became Phantom once more, as he tiredly gazed at where he was needed.

So people in power questioned him? It wouldn't be the first time. He'd stood against monsters and ghosts, against kings and masters. He'd faced time and reality, and even looked his own future in the face and shot it down. He'd been through more pain than most men twice, heck three times, his age, (maybe more), saved the world, fought more battles than he could count. What was one more?

He'd decided. He jumped, and phased through the window, flying off towards the latest event in the long string of his life, and as he looked down people cheered, they pointed they called to him. "Way to go Phantom!" "You show them whose boss!" "You're the hero Phantom!"

And he was wasn't he? They didn't want him shot down. They were still on his side. Whether it was fate, or choice, would he really just stand back and let other people get hurt? Let the paranoid executives in glass towers panic about whose side he was on. Was he going to let them decide for him? He knew didn't he? And as long as he knew, he could stand up for it.

_Having that much power, it's a burden. Isn't it child?_

Yes it is.

_You don't get it do you? I'm still here. I still exist!_

But so did he. And he wasn't HIM.

_No escaping me now ghost boy!_

But he got away anyway.

_There are all kinds of prisons kid._

And he would ghost through every one of them.

_What makes you think you can change my past?_

He already had.

_You can't possibly win_

_I don't have to win_, he found himself thinking, a smile on his face as he flew through the air towards the ghost. He knew who he was. He knew what he was. _I just have to make sure you lose._


End file.
